Lighting Control System with Wireless Network Connection

ABSTRACT

Wireless network used to control multiple lights, includes multiple different networks for different purposes, and interference prevention mechanisms.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No.13/170,080 filed Jun. 27, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,727 issued Apr.2, 2013, 12/830,406 filed Jul. 5, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,967,483issued Jun. 28, 2011, which is a continuation application of U.S. Ser.No. 11/748,996 filed May 15, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,748,878 issuedJul. 6, 2010, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application60/801,252, filed May 18, 2006, the disclosure of which is herewithincorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Stage lighting control systems are known, and/or described, for example,in various patents owned by Production Resource Group L.L.C. Many ofthese patents describe a central console being used to create commandsfor a number of lights collectively forming a lighting effect orlighting show. Each of the lights, for example, may be capable ofprojecting a light beam of 100-200 W or more, may be capable of lightbeam movement in pan and/or tilt directions, and light beam shaping,done by a gobo.

The connection to the lights is typically done over wires, for exampleusing DMX, or using the so-called Arcnet protocol which provides DMXover ethernet. It has been suggested that control of lights usingcommands sent directly over wired ethernet may also be carried out.

SUMMARY

The present application describes wireless control of lights in a stagelighting scenario.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects will now be described in detail with referenceto the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a system diagram showing the console connected to control anumber of lights; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a light and wireless control.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The general structure and techniques, and more specific embodimentswhich can be used to effect different ways of carrying out the moregeneral goals are described herein.

An embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. A lighting control console 100, whichmay be the PRG Virtuoso console, or may be any other console which iscapable of controlling multiple remote lights.

A first connection 110 is a conventional wired connection which mayconnect to a number of conventional lights such as 112, 114. Theseconventional lights may be of a type which are only controllable viawired connections. Virtually every stage light today available iscontrollable in this way.

Light 112 is capable of receiving both wired connections and wirelessconnections. The console 100 has a wireless communication module 105which enables connection to wireless-enabled lights such as 112.

An exemplary light 112 shown in FIG. 2 has a pan and tilt motor 202, acontroller 204, and a lamp 206.

Light 118, also controlled by console 100, has a connection only via thewireless connection shown as 120.

Any of the lights 112, 114, 116, however, may be stage light typedevices, that is may be remotely controllable to change their pan andtilt orientation, and thereby change the position at which the light isdirected. The light may be mountable on a truss or other supportingdevice, and may preferably project a light beam having an intensity ofat least 100 W. In addition, the light can be provided with a built-infunctionality for wireless control, or may have an add-in functionalityfor such wireless control.

In an embodiment, the wireless device 105 may also produce twoadditional wireless streams. The wireless stream 125 is a privatestream. The private stream 125 enables administrative functions to becarried out either on the console, or on the controlled lights.

For example, a remote 130 can connect to the private stream. The remote130, for example, can enable a lighting designer or other operator whois operating using a laptop or tablet style computer to carry outfunctions on the console or the lamps. The remote may be a dedicatedlaptop that runs a light version of the software on the console, andaccepts commands either over the keyboard, or through the mouse or otherGUI based commands.

Alternatively, the remote may control using a web browser styleinterface, produced by the console 100, and routed to the privatenetwork 125. The web browser can run based on console software, therebyautomatically updating that software whenever the main console softwareis updated.

A public wireless connection 130 may also be provided. The publicwireless connection may be itself controlled by the console. Forexample, while the console controls lighting effects by the lights 112,114, 116, 118, it has the ability to control many different lights. Thepublic connection 130 may be intended to control yet another “light”;however this “light” can be any mobile phone, PDA or other unit that isin range of the wireless connection. In this way, the lighting designeris able to stream video and/or other show media and lighting informationto the holder of the PDA.

Any PDA with 802.11 wireless capability, or other data capability suchas cellular, Bluetooth or other, may also receive the lightinginformation. The public stream 130 may alternatively be conveyed overother formats, such as Bluetooth.

This forms three different streams of information which are sent fromthe console: the controlling information to the lights, the statusinformation to a remote, and the public information. The publicinformation may be transmitted with virtually no security, since it isintended to be received by any user in the vicinity of the information.

However, the private line 125 and the control lines 120 should besecured. The private line should be secured against hackers, sinceotherwise anyone with knowledge of the system could hack in and changethe show or change other parameters. For example, this security may useany of the encryption protocols which are associated with the wirelessnetworking, and preferably uses the strongest possible encryption.

However, the control protocols require not only protection againsthacking, but also protection against interference. During the shows,many electronic devices are operating. Many users may have cell phones,and many persons in the audience may also have cell phones. Cell phones,and especially GSM cell phones, may cause interference. In addition,there are moving motors and other items which may cause interference.Accordingly, the stream 120 may be interference protected. This may bedone by using a spread spectrum form of 802.11, for example, or by usingan extremely error corrected form of 802.11. In the most extreme case,each command may be sent four or five times, and the light is instructedto respond to a command only when the command is properly receivedmultiple times in a row.

According to another embodiment, the commands may be sent along with ahash value indicative of the commands, so that the light may compare thecommand with the hash value to ensure that the command was properlyreceived. The light may send an acknowledgment when the command and hashare properly received. Otherwise, the command is eventually re-sent.

Some lights, such as 114, are legacy devices, and will not becontrollable over the wireless control. Other lights, however, such as112, will be controlled both via wired and wireless. These two differentnetworks may form additional levels of communication for the light, andmay enable other things.

Another aspect allows using any of the network connections describedherein to forward digital content (which could include video content)wirelessly, using the techniques described herein.

The general structure and techniques, and more specific embodimentswhich can be used to effect different ways of carrying out the moregeneral goals are described herein.

Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above,other embodiments are possible and the inventor intends these to beencompassed within this specification. The specification describesspecific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may beaccomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to beexemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification oralternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skillin the art. For example, other wireless networking protocols arecontemplated, including Wimax, Zigbee, and others.

Also, the inventor(s) intend that only those claims which use the words“means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixthparagraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intendedto be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expresslyincluded in the claims.

The consoles and computers described herein may be any kind of computer,either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as aworkstation. The computer may be an Intel (e.g., Pentium or Core 2 duo)or AMD based computer, running Windows XP or Linux, or may be aMacintosh computer. The computer may also be a handheld computer, suchas a PDA, cellphone, or laptop.

The programs may be written in C or Python, or Java, Brew or any otherprogramming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium,e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removabledisk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, wired or wirelessnetwork based or Bluetooth based Network Attached Storage (NAS), orother removable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, forexample, with a server or other machine sending signals to the localmachine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operationsdescribed herein.

Where a specific numerical value is mentioned herein, it should beconsidered that the value may be increased or decreased by 20%, whilestill staying within the teachings of the present application, unlesssome different range is specifically mentioned. Where a specifiedlogical sense is used, the opposite logical sense is also intended to beencompassed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A console, comprising: a console device, having aprocessor; said processor running a program to control at least oneexternal device that is remote from said console device, said programcontrolling said at least one external device, said controlling carriedout by sending commands to the at least one external device that causesa display output to be caused on said at least one external device; saidcommands including at least one wireless output command, where the atleast one wireless output command includes a command sent along with ahash value indicative of the command; said processor receiving anacknowledgement from the at least one external device indicating thatthe command with the hash value were properly received, and resendingthe command and hash value if the acknowledgement is not received aftera specified time.
 2. The console as in claim 1, where said wirelessoutput commanding different effects at different times.
 3. The consoleas in claim 1, where a first part of said wireless output being directedto at least one stage device as a first external device, and a secondpart of said wireless output being directed to at least one hand heldcommunication device as a second external device.
 4. The console as inclaim 1, wherein said command is a command to move a location of lightoutput on said external device.
 5. The console as in claim 1, whereinsaid acknowledgement from the at least one external device indicatesthat the command and the hash value agree with one another.
 6. Theconsole as in claim 3, wherein said second part of said wireless outputcommands an effect to be displayed on at least one handheldcommunication device.
 7. The console as in claim 3, wherein saidwireless output is in a form to control said stage device which is amoving light of a type having a controllable motor, that allows movingthe light in at least pan and tilt directions, wherein executing saidprogram on said processor of said console device produces effects onsaid moving light and moves a position of said moving light.
 8. Theconsole as in claim 7, wherein said control to said moving lights viasaid wireless output is sent over a first channel having security, andsaid control to said hand held communication device is sent over asecond channel which does not have said security.
 9. The console as inclaim 8, wherein said program accepts commands for the moving lightsfrom a client computer remote from said console, over a third securednetwork connection, different than said first and second channels. 10.The console as in claim 1, wherein said console controls a firstwireless stream for commanding lights, said first wireless stream havinga first security, and said console controls a second wireless stream forcommanding functions of the console, said second wireless stream havinga second security, and said console controls a third wireless stream forcommunicating to client computers within range of the console, saidthird wireless stream not having said first security or said secondsecurity.
 11. A computer controlled device, comprising: a controller,having a processor, controlling functions including causing a displayoutput based on a remotely-received control; said remotely-receivedcontrol including at least one wirelessly received command, where the atleast one wirelessly received command includes a command sent along witha hash value indicative of the command; said processor operating todetermine if the command with the hash value were properly received, andsending an acknowledgement if the command and the hash value wereproperly received.
 12. The device as in claim 11, wherein said devicereceives a resent version of the command and hash value if theacknowledgement is not sent after a specified time.
 13. The device as inclaim 11, where said wirelessly received command commands the device tocarry out different effects at different times.
 14. The device as inclaim 11, wherein said wirelessly received command is a command to movea location of light output produced by said device.
 15. The device as inclaim 11, wherein said processor compares that the command and the hashvalue agree with one another and sends said acknowledgement only whenthe command and hash value agree with one another.
 16. The device as inclaim 11, wherein said device which is a moving light of a type having acontrollable motor, that allows moving it light in at least pan and tiltdirections, wherein said controlling produces effects on said movinglight and moves a position of said moving light.
 17. The device as inclaim 11, wherein said control to said device is sent over a firstchannel having security, and a control to said handheld communicationdevice is sent over a second channel which does not have said security.18. A stage lighting console, comprising: a console device, having aprocessor; said processor running a program to control a first externaldevice which is a stage device and a second external device which is ahandheld device, where both said first and second external devices areremote from said console device, said controlling carried out by sendingcommands to both said first and second external devices that causes adisplay output; said commands including at least one wireless outputcommand, where the at least one wireless output command includes acommand sent along with a hash value indicative of the command; saidconsole also producing a wireless output based on said running saidprogram, said wireless output being directed both said first and secondexternal devices.
 19. The console as in claim 18, where said wirelessoutput commanding different effects on both said first and secondexternal devices at different times.
 20. The console as in claim 18,wherein said command is a command to move a location of light output onsaid stage device.
 21. The console as in claim 18, wherein saidprocessor receiving an acknowledgement from the at least one externaldevice indicating that the command with the hash value were properlyreceived, and resending the command and hash value if theacknowledgement is not received after a specified time.
 22. The consoleas in claim 21, wherein said acknowledgement from indicates that thecommand and the hash value agree with one another.
 23. The console as inclaim 19, wherein a second part of said wireless output commands aneffect to be displayed on at least one handheld communication device.24. The console as in claim 20, wherein said wireless output is in aform to control said stage device which is a moving light of a typehaving a controllable motor, that allows moving the light in at leastpan and tilt directions, wherein running said program on said processorof said console device produces effects on said moving light and moves aposition of said moving light.
 25. The console as in claim 24, whereinsaid control to said moving lights via said wireless output is sent overa first channel having security, and said control to said handhelddevice is sent over a second channel which does not have said security.26. The console as in claim 25, wherein said program accepts commandsfor the moving lights from a client computer remote from said console,over a third secured network connection, different than said first andsecond channels.
 27. The console as in claim 18, wherein said consolecontrols a first wireless stream for commanding lights, said firstwireless stream having a first security, and said console controls asecond wireless stream for commanding functions of the console, saidsecond wireless stream having a second security, and said consolecontrols a third wireless stream for communicating to client computerswithin range of the console, said third wireless stream not having saidfirst security or said second security.
 28. A console as in claim 18,wherein an effect commanded by said wireless output is produced insynchronism with commands for controlling at least one stage device. 29.A method of controlling an external device, comprising: in a processoron a console, running a program to control at least one external devicethat is remote from said console, said program controlling said at leastone external device, said controlling carried out by sending commands tothe at least one external device that causes a display output to becaused on said at least one external device; wherein said controllingcomprises sending at least one wireless output command, where the atleast one wireless output command includes a command sent along with ahash value indicative of the command; and receiving an acknowledgementfrom the at least one external device indicating that the command withthe hash value were properly received, and resending the command andhash value if the acknowledgement is not received after a specifiedtime.
 30. The method as in claim 29, where said wireless output commandsdifferent effects at different times.
 31. The method as in claim 29,further comprising directing a first part of said wireless output to atleast one stage device as a first external device, and directing asecond part of said wireless output to at least one hand heldcommunication device as a second external device.
 32. The method as inclaim 29, wherein said command is a command to move a location of lightoutput on said external device.
 33. The method as in claim 29, whereinsaid acknowledgement from the at least one external device indicatesthat the command and the hash value agree with one another.
 34. Themethod as in claim 31, wherein said second part of said wireless outputcommands an effect to be displayed on at least one handheldcommunication device.
 35. The method as in claim 31, wherein saidwireless output is in a form to control said stage device which is amoving light of a type having a controllable motor, that allows movingthe light in at least pan and tilt directions, wherein executing saidprogram on said processor of said console produces effects on saidmoving light and moves a position of said moving light.
 36. The methodas in claim 35, wherein said control to said moving lights via saidwireless output is sent over a first channel having security, and saidcontrol to said hand held communication device is sent over a secondchannel which does not have said security.
 37. The method as in claim36, wherein said program accepts commands for the moving lights from aclient computer remote from said console, over a third secured networkconnection, different than said first and second channels.
 38. Themethod as in claim 29, wherein said console controls a first wirelessstream for commanding lights, said first wireless stream having a firstsecurity, and said console controls a second wireless stream forcommanding functions of the method, said second wireless stream having asecond security, and said console controls a third wireless stream forcommunicating to client computers within range of the method, said thirdwireless stream not having said first security or said second security.